Safety in Secrets
by ArsenicAngel
Summary: Freedom is no longer an option for Harry but that doesn't stop him from longing for it- endangering both himself and Severus in the process. - Warning for non-bdsm Master/slave relationship; written for Cliche Fest on LJ


Written for the Cliche Fest on snape_potter on LJ. Lots of love and adoration to lorcalon for the beta work - you're a dear!

**Cliche of choice:** Snape keeps Harry as a slave/pet, and doesn't tell him what's going on in the world.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own, so please don't sue!

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><p>"What do you think you're doing?" Severus snarled. His fingers tangled in a mess of brunet hair as he dragged the young man in front of him away from the window.<p>

"I-I'm sorry, I just-"

"You 'just wanted to see the sun rise'," Severus finished for him in a mocking tone. It was an old conversation; one they'd had, again and again, at least once every few months. "And what if you'd been seen? Would that have been worth it?" When no answer came, Severus jerked his arm, forcing the man's head back until tear-filled green eyes met his own. "_Answer me_, Harry," he demanded, and twisted his hand in Harry's hair.

"N-No, Master!" Harry cried out as his face scrunched in pain. "Please, I'm sorry-"

"I'm growing tired of your apologies." Severus flung his arm out as he released Harry, sending him sprawling to the floor. "If you continue to endanger the both of us with your disobedience, I will board every window in this house myself." Harry whimpered at the threat, and moved to crawl toward him until Severus stepped back.

"If you wish to make amends, it will wait until you have prepared breakfast, as I've no desire to deal with you - or _look_at you - at the moment."

Harry raised his face with a wounded expression, and a fresh wave of tears began to well at the corners of his eyes when Severus did not waver. Ducking his head in defeat, Harry scooted himself back away from Severus with a whispered, "Yes, Master."

Severus watched Harry retreat into the small kitchen, with shoulders slumped and his head bowed to hide the hurt etched into every line of his young face. Sighing to himself, Severus drew his wand and threw a sticking charm at the heavy curtains Harry had been peering through, shutting out the light of the coming dawn. He lit the lamps of the sitting room with another wave, as he dropped himself into the lone reading chair. Within moments, the scent of frying eggs began to waft out from the kitchen, and Severus settled against the back of his chair and closed his eyes to wait. His anger gradually eased with each measured breath he took, and by the time Harry knelt beside the chair and gently nudged his hand to gain his attention, Severus was feeling much more affectionate toward his pet than he had been earlier.

Harry kept his head down in silence while Severus surveyed both him and the tray of food he held in his hands. He'd done his best to start his apology with breakfast, taking extra care to make everything precisely as Severus liked it, but when Severus gently took the tray from him to balance it across his own lap, Harry's shoulders slumped, fully expecting an order to make himself scarce. Instead, Severus's hand appeared in front of him, offering a piece of sausage, and Harry's eyes widened in surprise.

Daring a glance upward through his lashes, Harry leaned forward to gingerly take the sausage in his teeth. One corner of Severus's mouth twitched in approval, and Harry allowed himself to relax. Severus continued to lower his hand in front of Harry, offering him pieces of sausage, toast, and fruit at random, mixed between several bites of egg from the tip of Severus's fork. Severus offered his empty hand to Harry after the last of their breakfast had been eaten and the tray of food set aside, and a quiet groan rumbled in his throat when Harry's tongue lapped at his fingers and palm.

"Good boy," Severus crooned, drawing his hand away and crooking one long finger in a come-hither motion. Harry obeyed the unspoken command without hesitation, crawling around to the front of Severus's chair and kneeling at his feet, bowing his head again. Silence stretched between them for a long moment before Severus spoke again, waiting until Harry had chanced another glance up at his face. "If you have anything to say about your behaviour this morning, you may do so now."

Harry bit his lip and looked away from Severus in favour of the floor. "I wasn't thinking, Master, I'm sorry... I know that it isn't safe for me to be seen by anyone, I just..." Harry trailed off and shifted closer to Severus with a quiet whine. Severus didn't speak as he reached down to stroke Harry's hair, but the small gesture was enough to soothe the younger man and encourage him to continue. "I miss freedom, Master. I want to be able to go outside again..."

"And if anyone were to see you, you would be handed over to the Dark Lord before you could blink," Severus admonished. Harry's lip trembled between his teeth and he ducked his head away from Severus's hand. "What is it, pet?"

"I know the memories aren't real, but they're so clear, sometimes, Master." Harry's voice dropped to a whisper, and when he raised his face to look at Severus, there were tears in his eyes. "You risked everything to keep me alive and safe, and I continue disappointing you like this, because of them..."

Severus sighed and waved Harry into his lap, allowing the younger man to climb up and curl against his chest. "We need to put an end to this, Harry. I know you thought you would be able to put these hallucinations of yours to rest, but that clearly is not working." Harry whimpered and turned his face in toward Severus's shoulder with a reluctant nod. "If the Dark Lord realizes you survived, we will both suffer his wrath, pet; we're quite lucky that the magic I share with you has enabled you to close the connection you have with his mind, or we'd have been found out long ago. But I cannot allow this foolishness to continue, for both of our safety."

"H-how can you fix it, Master?" Harry asked in a wavering voice. His hand moved to curl around the front of Severus's robes, clinging to him like a lifeline as tears began to wind their way down his cheeks. "It's been two years and part of me still questions-"

"_Hush_," Severus murmured. Tightening his arm around Harry to hold him close to his chest, Severus tucked his other hand beneath his chin, forcing Harry to lift his face. "They are only hallucinations, Harry. You are stronger than this. You will not throw your life away because you fail to accept them for what they are."

"But... it seems so _real_," Harry protested, letting out a startled yelp as Severus stood and toppled Harry to the floor.

"You were on your deathbed," Severus snapped, looming over Harry with a dangerous expression. "It was a lucky miracle that you managed to survive the curse at all. I highly doubt you would be so lucky if you were to encounter the Dark Lord again."

"Master, please-"

"_Silence_!" Harry recoiled at Severus's sharp tone. "If you do not believe that this battle was a figment of your exhausted and desperate mind, then _go_." Severus gestured at the hallway that led to the front door of his home. "Step outside and take a stroll. Better yet, take the Floo into Diagon Alley and see for yourself what will happen to you. Perhaps, if we're lucky, the Dark Lord will dispose of us together when he realises that I've betrayed him, rather than take you and leave my death to the bond."

Unable to bring himself to meet Severus's gaze, Harry kept his head down as he shuffled forward on his knees and bent his head to press his cheek to Severus's boot. "Master, I'm sorry... I believe you, I do." Harry turned to press a kiss against the leather of Severus's boot before he raised his face. "I didn't mean to seem ungrateful, Master. Please don't abandon me."

Severus sighed and crouched down, bringing his hand to cup Harry's cheek as the younger man's lip began to tremble. "I didn't save your life just to toss you aside when you decide to misbehave." Leaning forward, Severus kissed the fringe of Harry's hair, stroking his thumb across Harry's cheek as the younger man began to relax. "I care for you, pet. If that weren't the case, I would not be so angry with you for endangering yourself. And, I would not have risked my life by binding my magic to you."

Harry sniffled loudly and nodded, leaning into Severus's touch when he moved to wipe the tears from his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak when Severus suddenly withdrew, clamping his hand tightly over his left forearm. "Master?" Harry's tone gave away his concern, but Severus pushed his hands away when he reached for him.

"Go to your cage, Harry," Severus ground out through gritted teeth, his hand curling tighter over his arm. The fabric covering his Dark Mark bunched beneath his fingers as his knuckles whitened. "_Now_." Wide-eyed, Harry nodded again and began backing away from Severus, turning to scramble toward the stairs that led to the basement.

He hesitated on the stairs to look over his shoulder, worry once again written all over his face as he whispered, "Please be careful, Master..."

Severus stiffly reached for his wand once Harry disappeared down the staircase, warding the basement door for security, and Disapparating with a loud _crack_after he heard the loud metallic sound of the door to Harry's cage slamming shut and sealing him inside.

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><p>Severus arrived in Diagon Alley, tucking his wand into his robes and smoothing his hand over his rumpled sleeve. His arm did not so much as twinge in pain, and he smiled to himself in satisfaction before he stepped out into the crowded main road. The shoppers milling about chattered on to each other as he wove between groups of them, resisting the desire to roll his eyes as more than one young child nearly ran into him in their rush to reach Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes.<p>

A moving poster caught his eye as he passed by Flourish and Blotts, and Severus took a step back to consider the piece of parchment, beginning to fade from prolonged exposure to the elements. Harry's face looked back at him, beneath the exclamation, 'Missing!', looking as he had two years earlier, just before the Battle of Hogwarts had begun. Casting a glance around him to be sure he wasn't being watched, Severus reached out and snatched the poster from the wall, crumpling it in his fist.

Harry had done his part in defeating the Dark Lord; the wizarding world had no claim on him now. They no longer needed him. _Severus_, on the other hand...


End file.
